The Supreme Court building in Padre Faura, Manila. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — The Supreme Court should now step in on the petitions filed against the implementation of a wage hike in Metro Manila, a lawmaker said Thursday.
A Pasig City court last week granted a temporary restraining order against the P85 wage hike order in the capital region, supposed to be implemented in tranches, while another petition was filed before a Navotas City court also seeking to block the wage increase.
"We hope that the Supreme Court motu proprio will conduct a probe on this issue kasi the Supreme Court is the administrator nung lahat ng ating korte sa Pilipinas," Rep. Perci Cendaña of the Akbayan party-list told ANC.
"Sana sa lalong madaling panahon... kinakailangan ang korte [suprema] tingnan [kung] nang-abuso ba ng kapangyarihan ang ating mga korte para pigilan itong wage hike. Kasi pag hindi nagawa the soonest time possible mauulit at mauulit ito hindi lamang sa NCR kundi sa buong Pilipinas," he added.
Cendaña said they found it "alarming" that the Department of Labor and Employment "immediately complied with the ruling of the court."
"Sabi nga namin hindi man lang nanindigan ang DOLE para sa mga manggagawa knowing na alam nila malinaw itong paglabag sa ating Labor Code," he said.
"Nakakatakot yung precedent na puwedeng i-set nitong TRO ng Pasig City kasi ibig sabihin every time mayroong regional wage increase na mabibigay tatakbo lang sa RTC yung mga businesses at yung mga capitalists para harangin ito."
Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino had said that he would leave it to the court to explain the basis for the decision, adding that DOLE would continue to carry out its mandate to protect workers.
Makabayan lawmakers slam suspension of P85 Metro Manila wage hike
Article 126 of the Labor Code states that courts cannot issue temporary restraining order or injunction against actions and decisions of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards, said Rep. Chel Diokno also of the Akbayan party-list.
Some senators adopted a resolution calling on the Pasig City court to lift its temporary restraining order against the P85 wage hike for NCR workers, citing the same provision in the Labor Code.
The Palace said that the Office of the Solicitor General is ready to defend the P85 wage hike for Metro Manila workers in court.
"Sa ngayon po ay mayroon na pong ginagawa po na dokumento at pagtutol. Although of course iginagalang natin ang lahat ng korte pero ang pamahalaan, ang administrasyon ay mayroon naman din pong karapatan na ihayag kung ano ang nararapat para sa ating mga kababayan at sa ating mga manggagawa," Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
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